Australians will have the chance to contribute to a movie-style script ‘starring’ Whitsundays’ holiday experiences as part of a ground-breaking new tourism campaign.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said the ‘Whitsundays Pictures Presents’ campaign, coordinated in partnership by Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) and Whitsundays Marketing Development Ltd (WMDL), portrayed the ‘wow’ factor a Whitsundays holiday gave visitors.

“TEQ has engaged the services of top Australian screenwriter Craig Pearce, who has The Great Gatsby, Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge among his credits,” Ms Stuckey said.

“Mr Pearce in the role of script supervisor will oversee a movie-style story written by Australians that captures the Whitsundays’ epic experiences and stunning locations.”

Each day a picture of the Whitsundays will be posted via Facebook and Instagram and people are invited to write the next scene based on the images.

The most creative and compelling daily entry will be selected by Mr Pearce and added to the master movie script throughout the four-week campaign, with winners receiving daily prizes, recognition on the movie credits and entry into a draw for a Whitsundays holiday prize.

The progressive movie story board will be available online today from 9am at www.facebook.com/WhitsundaysQLD (external site) ( https://www.facebook.com/WhitsundaysQLD ).

Mr Pearce said he was excited to curate the movie storyboard.

“Stories are fundamental to what makes us human and from oral storytelling to painting, to pen and ink, to print, to stage, to music, to film and television, we have constantly embraced technology to tell stories in new and exciting ways,” Mr Pearce said.

“Using social media to create a movie storyboard is evolving storytelling into the digital age – I can’t wait to see the results.”

WMDL CEO Danial Rochford said the campaign aimed to spark a powerful word-of-mouth discussion and showcase the Whitsundays’ incredible natural beauty and tourism experiences which would be portrayed through a classic movie story of romance, intrigue and adventure.

“The Whitsundays offer world-class movie-style landscapes and experiences that people from all over the world dream of visiting. ’Whitsundays Pictures Presents’ will remind Australians that a dream holiday awaits in their own back yard and they have easy access to blockbuster experiences catering for all tastes and budgets” Mr Rochford said.

Ms Stuckey said the campaign, which begins today, incorporated publicity, digital and social media, as well as television and radio promotions targeting residents in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

“TEQ is increasingly working on innovative ways to engage with potential travellers and this campaign is one of many initiatives supported by the Newman Government to reach our goal of doubling annual overnight visitor expenditure from $15 billion to $30 billion by 2020,” she said.

In the year ended March 2013, the Whitsundays welcomed almost half a million Australians to the region.